[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6114693,"mediaKeyId","2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784","parentId",2742570,"title","Senate floor: quick roundup of bills concurred or passed March 21","audioSeconds",296,"startMs",4646000,"endMs",4942000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784&start=4646&end=4942","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784/thumbnail_4646000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6114693/Montana/Senate-floor-quick-roundup-of-bills-concurred-or-passed-March-21","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114693-95373d5f70b010fd47f9aec768b5065f/orig.mp4?Expires=1772748190&Signature=C8FkkW1KG9FBxC943ClwVRimn71fqf4bt0H2~H1NsapRo-p3hT0yMf3yMXZLkaMyUurhrA4BliPn4S64qfnecMdWVb2~L~Zcx-Hi6VfhyjNOKEu2CAbcvpMABuWhtI~~1Oe49sqgmJ1D7k4asMDYBr4JEvA-DXNdrmGyifU7XPZ0ox6Q7LRzsTKM3-xBCuRv9wz3A1JV3WfMWOoijqqstfLHdfFIjKbpSMddssmV6U~u9qUL~-acWanmIPGNFW~ZW4uxU0LcLo5qyTHjm413WLuHj5V3z64frqd-ZHkxTF2M6ebju5zQvSg7CN-PvQVjlmAobsfgdgfo3uv4YUANpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-21T00:00:00Z","article","The Montana Senate on March 21 considered committee reports and moved many bills through second and third reading. Below are the floor outcomes recorded during the session; descriptions are taken from the clerk’s readouts and floor remarks.

Votes at a glance (selected items recorded on March 21):

- House Bill 16 (infrastructure loan program and tax credit): Passed third reading in the Senate, 49 aye, 1 nay.

- House Bill 18 (deposit of non-levy revenue and school equalization/property tax relief): Passed third reading, 42 aye, 8 nay.

- House Bill 15 (K–12 inflation implementation): Passed third reading, 33 aye, 17 nay.

- House Bill 24 (kindergarten laws): Passed third reading, 49 aye, 1 nay.

- House Bill 46 (change of attorney laws for public defenders): Passed third reading, 49 aye, 1 nay.

- House Bill 28 (charter school timelines/opening procedures): Passed third reading, 42 aye, 8 nay.

- House Bill 109 (professional licensing errata): Passed third reading, 50 aye, 0 nay.

- House Bill 151 (recruitment/retention MSDB education laws): Passed third reading, 47 aye, 3 nay.

- Senate Bill 95 (suicide prevention funding): Passed third reading, 39 aye, 11 nay.

- Senate Bill 253 (administrative/certification processes for student scholarship organizations): Passed third reading, 45 aye, 5 nay.

- Senate Bill 345 (workers' compensation evidentiary standards): Passed third reading, 32 aye, 18 nay.

- Senate Bill 471 (vehicle traffic and pedestrian crossing revisions): Passed third reading, 34 aye, 16 nay.

Also on the floor, a number of committee reports were read and adopted; the Senate committee of the whole recommended concurrence for numerous bills and resolutions (for example, Senate Resolution 9 and several bills listed in the committee report). The Senate also approved temporary operating rule amendments to allow expedited director confirmations and other scheduling changes.

This roundup is limited to the measures for which the clerk recorded final tallies on March 21; several other bills were read and referred to committees earlier in the day. For full bill texts, fiscal notes and committee reports, consult the official legislative records.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Floor Session Mar 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","On March 21 the Montana Senate handled numerous committee reports, second-reading committee actions, rule amendments and third-reading final passage votes. Several bills were concurred in or passed on final reading with recorded tallies; this roundup lists those measures and their floor outcomes.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114697,"Senate concurs in bill removing statutory gender and racial balancing language for state appointments",525,3273000,3798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784&start=3273&end=3798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784/thumbnail_3273000.jpg","/articles/6114697/Montana/Senate-concurs-in-bill-removing-statutory-gender-and-racial-balancing-language-for-state-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114697-116c8d7b573122a794eeae4363192db3/orig.mp4?Expires=1772748190&Signature=bUSrKB5yTGRzXz8up4tjBQJwP6Uq6nfDO4acpEoHkOBmgy0t3t8aLNaqLNXWT~0FNZlp9w3yLIURCPlnMUIO6jTv8ZrYNlCi5hFMJzUmXgiF~1S2-DKCbWmb8Xp-VtV~FUHxs~4EpPio-DKAhQs21sTFVGvXxAJKaW0yxmRUNNQIUxtAzOOkEosnH3B4BqeorbalL3XpxMucGcgPhtsFn7cHqj7NkvyTO67cvDW-h6pO-L2bCvtZ6Za~JHc~J3gug6zqd8MUq0egf6wZmj2BnXWV-Df8y9i7TTS6S6eSUJojmcD-UWkCWHQogMNenOxRsGZCcX3zqcahLJ0wXInaTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana Senate on March 21 concurred with House Bill 215, a bill to eliminate a section of state code that referenced gender and racial balancing on appointments to state boards and commissions. Senator Berry Usher moved concurrence; the Senate voted 31 in favor and 19 opposed.

Sponsor Senator Usher described the provision as “code clutter” added in 1991 and argued it could be read as both a mandate and a suggestion. “Eliminating the section of code will have no effect on the makeup of the tribal boards,” Usher said, adding that appointments should be made on merit.

Opponents urged caution, saying the language encouraged representative appointments, particularly for tribal members. Senator Fern, drawing on long service on boards and associations, said tribal representation improves board deliberations and helps address issues where non-tribal members lack context. “It’s important to say that ... when we do the people’s business at ... state levels of committees, that we do our best to represent the many viewpoints in the state,” Fern said.

Senator Emmerich framed the change as removing a discriminatory prescriptive requirement and invoked a principle that appointments should be based on merit rather than race or gender. Senator Weber emphasized Montana’s history of including Native American voices and opposed removing a provision that he said helped maintain that practice for the state’s largest minority.

The motion to concur in House Bill 215 passed on a 31-19 vote. The bill was described on the floor as a code-cleanup measure; supporters characterized it as removing outdated statutory language, while opponents said it risks reducing attention to diversity and tribal representation in appointments.","House Bill 215, which removes a 1991 statutory provision directing gender and racial balancing on state boards and commissions, passed the Senate 31-19 after floor debate over representation of tribal communities and whether the provision was obsolete or discriminatory.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114703,"Senate concurs on bill to allow state prosecution of crimes by noncitizens; opponents cite constitutionality and fiscal burden",732,2504000,3236000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784&start=2504&end=3236","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784/thumbnail_2504000.jpg","/articles/6114703/Montana/Senate-concurs-on-bill-to-allow-state-prosecution-of-crimes-by-noncitizens-opponents-cite-constitutionality-and-fiscal-burden","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114703-85bc6215eac6c8e99a9d8a60f972df4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1772748190&Signature=mOI~ATZxbOp~DerzHJDJEBAMsRf8jxgULC2SnF2XE3h5Ik~E5z~8U467JiVOLu9aRjNXT17jvmtFO6Lr1Qdv3SLVYWUsi76gLVNpR3K-0cuwCYfAAI5rygCcO1oU5DUKkmIlFRLUE7CCpFhdspW8JPXELoo4kycqTXvn1jPN9zdl-UMq-HHKAW3ngpCV66fcwHZJgU5WVUHuNjx5H63EtbZbIvNKmnY5bhKdpgbH8H1D7WhBWAknZyPChGUxTsTe7gjLefcRIBbsHhERRH6oEwGb3KsZ84sgYCZr4IeQFZzQv3hqdOB6aKhyy3pwITBm8HGRYctuv8YIfoSt0~R~6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana Senate on March 21 concurred in House Bill 214, a measure that the sponsor described as clarifying the state's authority to prosecute crimes committed by noncitizens and requiring county attorneys to notify the attorney general when they decline to prosecute certain cases involving noncitizens. Senator Joe Manzella moved concurrence; the Senate voted 31 to 19 in favor.

Manzella, the floor carrier, said the bill “codifies that the state may actually prosecute illegal aliens who commit state crimes” and directs county prosecutors to inform the attorney general’s office if they choose not to prosecute specified cases. “This takes one step in that direction,” Manzella said in closing remarks.

The nut graf: supporters argued the bill empowers local authorities and addresses so-called “catch-and-release” situations; opponents warned it raises constitutional questions, imposes administrative burdens on counties and the attorney general’s office, and could increase prison-related costs.

Missoula County’s delegate on the floor, Senator Jon Olson, said his county “strongly opposes House Bill 214,” pointing to a likely administrative load: he estimated the county could face about 7,000 cases per year that would require immigration-status checks and notifications to the attorney general under the bill’s language and noted no fiscal note accompanied the measure. “This would also increase the work of the AG having 7,000 contacts with Missoula County alone,” Olson said.

Other opponents, including Senator Newman reading from the Attorney General’s opinion, argued the bill may be unconstitutional because federal immigration enforcement is a federal civil enforcement regime and states cannot convert federal civil enforcement into state criminal actions. Senator Smith (floor) warned the bill could have substantial prison cost implications because it would potentially open prosecutions across Title 45 of the criminal code.

Proponents countered that assisting federal immigration enforcement and ensuring local prosecutors have the option to pursue criminal charges is within the state’s authority. Senator Emmerich said the statute applies only to the subset of cases described in subsection 1 and is unlikely to create the enormous caseload opponents described.

The motion to concur in House Bill 214 passed by a 31-19 vote. The measure was recorded as concurred on second reading and re-referred as required by Senate procedures.","House Bill 214, which clarifies that the state may prosecute crimes by noncitizens and requires county prosecutors to notify the attorney general when declining to prosecute certain cases, passed the Senate 31-19 after extended debate over constitutionality, administrative burden, and potential prison cost impacts.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114708,"Senate backs $5 million competitive grant program for senior centers",468,1552000,2020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784&start=1552&end=2020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2742570-780b08fb7a1853d6d0733f99850a2784/thumbnail_1552000.jpg","/articles/6114708/Montana/Senate-backs-5-million-competitive-grant-program-for-senior-centers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114708-2ff58217744a596514f5bb94ad9ebbc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1772748190&Signature=d5Ajb9AM~Y43yLv5nsG0c-8gAtBqGZugmpqxh87TfYObKm6CnaDx1CeARrRXXSldXUHyt8C~9kVvuTZK65vngedxvoxxu8xWTvU2hdiehRbmn9TnLmoOyQf~nlRTxGKJJPBoyzOf3D4~Ww3~iJZLiFzCB1n7trycAFzPwAkJRRyvlz3p0r~8eUsQ~FPoVfFkDfY2uh2qTeA3A-Rlp2VLWpoDOg3jkQoLgGezXYIxHI-Q7~XFxLlgoZxPLI4n~FWBjVz-71XkJoPx4ai1R~zox8AXJqk8e6lZUSJQElRHvlghXBLvxktMS5YIu8zlt3eWz48xr5XiiKoACbUqEic~GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana Senate on March 21 concurred with House Bill 182, a bill to create a one-time competitive grant program that would provide up to $5 million for capital construction, maintenance, repairs and equipment purchases at senior citizen centers statewide. Senator Steven Novak moved concurrence; the Senate voted 30 in favor and 20 opposed.

Novak, the bill carrier on the Senate floor, said the program would be administered by the Department of Commerce and modeled on a previous one-time program for homeless shelters. “This bill first asks for a $5,000,000 appropriation using a small part of the general fund surplus,” Novak said, and added the maximum grant award would be $250,000 with a two-grant per-county cap in most cases and a required dollar-for-dollar cash match.

The proposal’s nut graf: supporters argued the measure would help aging Montanans by funding needed building repairs and equipment at local senior centers that regularly provide meals and social services; critics warned the administrative cost and unclear eligibility rules could undercut the program’s effectiveness.

Senator Denley Logie and others described routine local needs such as new floor tile and failing kitchen equipment at centers that rely on small local fundraising. “They sometimes need new tile on the floor. There’s an oven that goes out,” Logie said, noting that centers often solicit local donations for repairs.

Several senators pressed the bill’s fiscal notes and implementation details. A senator on the floor directed members to the fiscal note stating the department estimated roughly $732,000 in administrative costs to distribute the $5 million in grants, a figure one senator called “an extremely high dollar figure.” Novak responded that eligible senior centers in need of upgrades would be able to apply and reiterated the dollar-for-dollar match requirement; he also noted he had consulted appropriations leadership.

The bill sets a $250,000 maximum grant amount per eligible award, requires a cash match (in-kind contributions are not allowed), and limits the maximum number of grants per county generally to two. Novak said the program would not be ongoing and that intent language in the bill is intended to make the application user-friendly.

The Senate adopted the motion to concur in House Bill 182 by a 30-20 vote. The measure was then re-referred to the Finance and Claims Committee for the appropriations process, as recorded later in the day.","The Montana Senate concurred with House Bill 182 to create a competitive, one-time senior citizen center grant program with a $5 million appropriation and dollar-for-dollar matching requirement; senators debated administrative costs and eligibility limits before the measure passed 30-20.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate floor: quick roundup of bills concurred or passed March 21

Senate concurs in bill removing statutory gender and racial balancing language for state appointments

Senate concurs on bill to allow state prosecution of crimes by noncitizens; opponents cite constitutionality and fiscal burden

Senate backs $5 million competitive grant program for senior centers